The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has declared that the forum will not submit to external manipulation as its leadership crisis enters its seventh day. The forum’s national secretariat on Sokoto Road was sealed off by police last week Tuesday.
Background of the Crisis
The ACF NEC had previously announced the suspension of the Board of Trustees (BoT) chairman, Bashir M. Dalhatu, a decision that the BoT rejected. Members of the BoT, in a statement over the weekend, accused the embattled Secretary-General, Murtala Aliyu, of causing the crisis and urged him to stop parading himself as his tenure expired in March 2026.
NEC's Response
On Monday, responding to the BoT, ACF National Publicity Secretary Prof. T. A. Muhammad-Baba released a statement detailing the outcome of the NEC meeting held on May 6, 2026. The statement condemned the interference of the BoT Chairman in the forum's finances. In a communique issued after the meeting, presided over by NEC Chairman Mamman Mike Osuman, the NEC said that Dalhatu, according to findings of the Code of Conduct and Ethics Committee (CCEC), assumed direct control over financial matters without constitutional authority.
Financial Misconduct Allegations
The CCEC reported that Dalhatu changed the domiciliation of the ACF’s bank account. In a letter dated November 20, 2025, to Jaíz Bank, Kano East, Zoo Road, he directed the transfer of the account to Saliha Rabiu Garba at the Bello Road Branch, citing a desire to consolidate his relationship with the bank. Although Secretary-General Murtala Aliyu co-signed the letter, the CCEC stated he was compelled to do so. The committee noted that it was an aberration for Dalhatu to sign as a signatory, as the BoT Chairman is not supposed to be a signatory to the forum’s bank account.
Constitutional Violations
The CCEC highlighted that the ACF constitution provides a system for transparency, accountability, and separation of powers. According to the constitution, all funds must be lodged in official accounts, the Secretary General is the accounting officer, the Treasurer has custody and disbursement of funds, and the NEC submits budget proposals for BoT approval. These provisions give no role to the BoT Chairman over forum funds, separating oversight from executive functions. The BoT is empowered only to supervise and ensure accountability, not to administer funds.
Recommendations and Resolutions
Given these anomalies, the CCEC recommended a vote of no confidence in BoT Chairman Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu and his suspension from ACF membership. It also recommended an immediate comprehensive forensic audit of ACF’s finances. The NEC unanimously accepted and adopted all CCEC recommendations and directed the NEC Chairman to take necessary steps to implement the resolutions without delay.
